Isolated posterior cruciate ligament calcification: A case report

Yavuz Şahbat; Waziri Juma Msangi; Erdem Koç; Tolga Onay; Osman Mert Topkar

doi:10.47447/tjsm.0623

Yavuz Şahbat¹, Waziri Juma Msangi², Erdem Koç², Tolga Onay³, Osman Mert Topkar²

¹Orthopedics and Traumatology, Institut Català de Traumatologia i Medicina de l'esport, Barcelona, Spain
²Department Orthopedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Marmara University, İstanbul, Türkiye
³Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Türkiye

Keywords: Posterior cruciate ligament, calcification, arthroscopic debridement

Abstract

Calcification around the knee joint is a rare condition in athletes. Medial collateral ligament (MCL) calcification is the most frequent post-traumatic ligament calcification. There is very limited information about the calcification of cruciate ligaments. In this study, we aimed to present a management scheme for the diagnosis and treatment process of a veteran athlete with isolated posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) calcification.

A 59-year-old female patient, who was formerly an athlete, admitted to emergency department with generalized right knee pain that aggravated with sports activities. Radiographic images revealed a calcification in line with the PCL contours. It was decided to perform arthroscopic debridement. After the operation, the patient's symptoms regressed rapidly.

Tendon calcifications may cause post-exercise pain in athletes with concomitant chronic diseases. Conservative treatment and non-steroidal antiinflammatory treatment should be tried first in all calcific tendinopathies. Although conservative treatment appears to be frequently satisfactory, arthroscopic excision may be a better option for the refractory or severe cases.

Cite this article as: Sahbat Y, Msangi WJ, Koc E, Onay T, Topkar OM. Isolated posterior cruciate ligament calcification: A case report. Turk J Sports Med. 2022, 57(3):161-3; https://doi.org/10.47447/tjsm.0623

Author Contributions

Concept: YŞ,OMT; Design: YŞ,TO; Supervision: OMT,TO; Materials: EK,WJM;Data Collection and/or Processing: EK,YŞ; Analysis and Interpretation:YŞ,WJM; Literature Review: YŞ,WJM; Writing Manuscript: YŞ,OMT; Critical Reviews: YŞ,TO

Conflict of Interest

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to authorship and/or publication of the article.

Financial Disclosure

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or publication of this article.